Lovesick
by DaisyDuke87
Summary: Mary Anne is in a troubled marriage. Can Logan save her before it's too late?Chapter 8 is now up! please R/R.
1. Reflections

"Lovesick"

Disclaimer: All the characters in this story are the creations of Ann M. Martin, except for Ian Stevens, who is my creation. 

A/N: This is my first fanfic on this site. Please R/R. This is kind of a variation of a storyline that is probably used a lot. If it is like anything you've read here or somewhere else, it is by pure accident. This is an original idea. This will be in Logan's P.O.V. Enjoy. 

It all started on a warm March morning. I was ready for work (I'm the football coach at SHS) and was just relaxing for a few minutes. I let my dog, Luke (his last name is 'Duke' for obvious reasons), a brown lab puppy, in the house for a few minutes. I played with him for a little, then I put him back outside. 

I glanced at the paper. Nothing interesting was there. I put it down and left for work. As I got into my 1969 Dodge Charger, I spotted Ian Stevens, my neighbor from about 3 houses down. He got in his car and drove off. I waved, but he didn't wave back. I sighed. 

You see, Ian Stevens is married to Mary Anne, my old girlfriend. He's a successful TV News anchor and she's an equally successful child psychologist. They've been married for about a year and a few months, maybe 4 or 5. They seem to be a happy couple and they're both well liked around the neighborhood. Well, I don't particularly like Ian, myself. He's a little snobby to me and he also seems a little stuck up. He isn't very nice to me, even though I'm nice to him. I don't really think it's because of Mary Anne, either. He just seems to strongly dislike me for no good reason. I guess he thinks that I'm "not good enough" for his standards. Personally, I don't see why she married him, but maybe I'm wrong about him. Maybe he's not as stuck up as he seems, but just wants to keep up his "top dog" attitude when he's around the public. 

Anyway, how Mary Anne and Ian met is kind of a long story. It all started off with us. We broke up at the end of the eighth grade again. During the rest of high school, we got back together again several times before we decided to just be friends. We ended up going to different colleges -she went to Yale and I went back to Kentucky to be near my relatives and old friends. We lost touch after a few months. While she was at Yale, she met Ian and after graduation she married him and moved down the street. I was (and still am) single and was already living down the street in my house with Luke. We had run into each other one day when we were at a block party. It was strange at first, but we became friends again. As hard as I tried, I couldn't get Ian to be friends with me, though. To tell you the truth, I don't mind at all. As Mary Anne views it, he's missing out on having a great friend and that's his loss. 

To get back to my story, a few seconds later, Mary Anne came out. When she saw me, she smiled and waved. I waved back. Then I drove off towards word, thinking about the past. I mean, I'm way over her, but I still think about how happy we once were. 

A/N: I'd like to thank Krista, or YellowRoseofTexas for helping me with some of this story. 


	2. A Horrible Secret

**Chapter 2**

A/N Thanks for all the reviews. I'll try to update often 

That day was the day I found out about a horrible secret. It was after work, around 6:00, and I was walking Luke around the block. I passed by the Stevens' house on my way back. That was when I heard it. 

I distinctly heard Ian yelling, "Why isn't my supper warm!" 

Mary Anne said something like, "Well, Ian, you were a few minutes late, it just got a little cold. I can heat it up." 

"No, you won't. You'll pay for this, and all of your other mistakes as well!" 

The next sound I heard was a series of crashes, yelling, and crying. Suddenly, I knew what was going on at the Stevens' house. With a sick feeling in my stomach, I picked up Luke and ran all the way back home, slamming the door behind me. As I tried to regain my breath, I realized the horrible things that were going on over there. 

I now understood why Ian was so unfriendly; he was physically abusing Mary Anne, and who know what else he was doing. I knew then that I was the only one who could help her, other than herself. I knew she needed me to help her take that first step toward freedom. I also knew that I had to help her now, before it was too late. 


	3. Confessions

The next day I didn't see Ian. I was glad that I didn't because I probably would have socked him. Since it was Saturday, I was off. Mary Anne was at the house, I knew, because her car was still there. I didn't want to approach her too soon. I just wanted to see if she was OK. I decided to take Luke for a walk around 11 o'clock. I walked the other way around the block so I can pass her house on the way back. When we passed her house she was checking her mail. 

I stopped and said, "Hi, Mary Anne." 

She looked up and smiled. "Hi, Logan. Hi, Luke." Luke wagged his tail and licked her hand. 

"How are you?" I asked. 

"Oh, I'm, um, OK, I guess. How are you?" she asked. 

"Oh, I'm great," I said. 

She nodded. "Do you want to come in for a little?" 

"Sure. Let me put Luke up," I said. 

"You don't have to. He can come, too." 

"OK," I said. We walked into the spacious house. 

"Tea?" she asked. I nodded. I followed her into the kitchen. 

"So, what brings you here today?" she asked. 

"Oh, I just wanted to see what you were doing," I said. 

"Oh, well I wasn't feeling well today, so I took the day off." 

"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned, although I had a hunch what it was. 

"Oh, it's nothing really. My throat is just a little sore and, um, my head really hurts." 

I knew she was lying immediately. She never was a good liar. "Maybe you just need some rest." I said. 

She nodded. She poured the tea into two cups. We sat at the table. We talked about our weeks. Luke sat obediently by me on the floor. Mary Anne smiled and gave him a pat. 

"He's such a good dog. He's so cute and obedient." 

I smiled. "I guess he was born that way." 

I studied her face closely. She was never very big on makeup, but I noticed that today she was wearing a lot of it. I knew why, of course. I decided to approach the subject gently. 

"Could I ask you a personal question?" I asked. 

"Sure," she said. 

"How does Ian treat you?" 

"He treats me fine." 

"I mean, does he ever --" I paused. 

"Does he ever what?" she asked. 

I decided to just come right out with it. "Does he ever hit you?" 

She gave me a surprised look. Then she hesitated before answering me. 

"Why do you ask that?" She asked. 

I sighed. "Because I was walking Luke last night and coming back I- I heard him. And don't try to lie about it, Mary Anne. I know you better than that. You never were a very good liar. Plus, it won't do you any good. Now, come on. Just admit it, he's abusive to you, isn't he?" 

She looked down, her lower lip trembling. I knew she was going to cry at any minute. Finally, she looked up, tears running down her face. 

"Yes, he does, but he doesn't do it on purpose. I mean, mostly it's my fault." 

I patted her arm. "No, Mary Anne, it's not your fault. He's gotten you to think that it's your fault, when it's really only his fault. The only way it's your fault is how you've kept it a secret so long. Now that it's out in the open, you can get help. I'll help with whatever you need to do." 

She nodded. "I just don't know if I can. I mean, he is my husband and I do love him. He says he'll get help and I believe him." 

"Has he done it before?" I asked. 

She nodded. "He was better for awhile, but then he went back to his old ways." 

"Do your parents know?" I asked. 

"No, I haven't told anybody. I'm afraid to." 

"You know you have to get help. It'll just get worse." I said. 

She nodded. "I know I do, but I just don't think that right now is a good time." 

"What I want to know is, why haven't you left him?" 

"Well, I've always threatened to, but I always chicken out, I guess. I mean, I've gotten more outgoing over the years, but I guess I'm just not outgoing enough to go through with it. He always says he's sorry and says it will never happen again. But later on it always does. It's not really his fault. He had a really bad childhood and I guess he takes out his frustrations from that time in his life on me." 

I shook my head. "That's awful. I'm beginning to feel just a little bit sorry for him, but not any more than a thousandth of an inch." 

She laughed a little. "I know that I need help taking that big step to leaving him, but right now is not the right time." 

"I know it's not any of my business, but why isn't it a good time? I mean, I understand that you still love him and all, but just answer me this question, OK?" 

She nodded. "Don't tell this to anybody, but the other day I found out that I'm..." 

"What?" I asked, confused. This wasn't making any sense. 

She looked at me and said softly, "I found out that I'm pregnant." 

I was shocked. This certainly put a new light on things. "Oh. Congratulations. I hope that this will make you see that you need to leave even more, but I understand why you don't want to leave him. You think that it's only fair to give the baby a mother and a father, right?" 

She nodded. "You read my mind. I told Ian and he is so happy. He promises that he won't do anything to hurt me or the baby. I believe him. When he's really telling the truth, he gets this look in his eyes. He had that look in his eyes when I told him." 

"When are you due?" I asked. Even under the circumstances, a baby was something to celebrate. 

"In mid-December. I can't wait," she said. 

I looked at the clock. It was almost 12:30. I got up from my seat. 

"I'd better go. I'll see you later. Take care of yourself," I said. 

She smiled. "I will. 'Bye." 

I left with Luke, hoping for once that Ian would keep his promises. 


	4. Asking For Help

The next few weeks were a little hectic for me so I was relieved when Mom and Dad asked me to come over for dinner one night. We were all sitting around the table, talking about what we've been doing lately. Kerry was saying something about how she's been doing at Stoneybrook University. Hunter was also saying something about how his job at Renwick's has been. 

I wasn't really paying attention to what everyone else was saying. My mind was on the only thing that mattered to me right now- Mary Anne and her safety. 

I must have been pretty spaced out because Mom asked, "Are you OK, Logan? You haven't said a word tonight." 

"Oh, I'm fine. I'm just worried about something." 

"Is anything wrong, son?" Dad asked. They all looked pretty concerned. 

"Well, nothing's wrong with me, but something is wrong with someone who's very close to me." 

"Who?" Kerry asked, fork poised over her plate. 

"It's Mary Anne," I said. 

"What's wrong with her?" Hunter asked. 

"Well, it has nothing to do with her health. It's her husband, Ian." They all gave me a puzzled look. 

"The TV news anchor?" Dad asked. 

I nodded. "He seems so ... arrogant at times, but everyone says he's very nice. He's never liked me, though, and I know that he's not. I found out by accident that ... he's abusive to her. I want to help her, but I don't know how to." I sighed. 

They sat there and soaked this information in for a few minutes. Then Mom spoke. 

"That poor girl. I'm surprised that she'd allow someone to do that to her." 

"Well, it's true that she speaks up for herself more and is a whole lot more outgoing than before, but she's still insecure about a few things. I guess Ian knows that and uses it against her." 

"Sounds like you've talked to her a lot lately," Dad remarked. 

I nodded. "There's something else that makes me worry about her. The last time she saw me, she had just got back from the doctor and she showed me her latest sonogram." 

"You mean she's pregnant?" Kerry asked. 

I nodded. "She swears that he promised her that he would never hurt her now, but I'm not so sure." 

While Mom and Dad pondered this, Hunter asked "Does she know that you're worried about her?" 

I wondered about that for a few seconds. "I'm not sure. She must know. I mean, I'm always asking if she's doing all right." 

"Let me ask you something. Do you still have any feelings for her?" Mom asked. 

I was a little surprised at the question. Did I still have feelings for her? 

"I care for her, if that's what you mean." I replied. 

"Do you still _love_ her though?" Kerry asked. 

"I- I'm not sure," I admitted. 

"Well, it seems like you do," Hunter said. 

I excused myself and went up to my old room, which was the same as always. I needed time to think about this. 

Would my life be better if she was in it? I admit that ever since we discovered that we were neighbors, I've gone out of my way to talk to her, well. most of the time anyway. I'm not completely sure that she doesn't do the same thing. 

But, does that mean that I was still in love with her? Maybe that didn't, but there were some other things that did. Like the way it tugged at my heart whenever I saw them together. 

I realized that I _was_ still in love with her. Maybe I never fell out of love with her, but what could I do about it now? 

Just then, the door came open and when I looked up everyone was there. 

"I've decided that I am still in love with her," I told them. 

They smiled. "That's great, but first we have to think of a way to help her, then we'll think about that." 

"Yeah," Kerry added. "We all want to help you help her. We don't know how, but we know that together, we'll make it happen." 

"We just came in here to tell you that, no matter what happens, we'll stand by you." 

I got up and hugged everyone, proud that I have such a wonderful family. 

Later that night, before I went to bed, I decided the next day to call up the only person I know who will probably know more about this and how to help- Kristy Taylor, her best friend. 


	5. Questions and Answers

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I've just been so busy, and school starts in two weeks, so it might be awhile before I can update again. Part of the chapter is a flashback that takes place a few years back at Yale. Please R/R and give me some ideas. I'd love to hear them. I love feedback, which I haven't been getting a whole lot of, so feel free to give me more.   
  
  


I sat at the kitchen table at the Taylor's house, talking with both Bart and Kristy. That was when Kristy informed me that she and Mary Anne were not on the best of terms lately. She started to explain the long story...  
  
_*flashback*_   
  


It was during the mid-morning rush to get to class when it all started. Kristy and Mary Anne both had early classes, so they got up super early to be on time for them. Then they parted ways and headed off towards their classes. 

After their busy morning schedules, they met at Subway for lunch. Mary Anne got there first, since she had just finished up her child psychology course. She sat down at a table and waited for Kristy. She finally saw her friend come in and waved her over to the table. 

"Sorry I'm late. We had to finish a discussion and that lasted longer than I had expected." Kristy said. 

"That's OK. Come on, let's get in line." 

They got in line for sandwiches, chips, and cookies. Then they sat back down and started to talk. 

Mary Anne suddenly gasped and said, "Look at that guy over there." 

"Where?" Kristy asked, looking around. 

Then she spotted him. He was sitting by himself, looking over an Economics book. He was tall, with brown hair and green eyes that you could die for. He saw them looking at him and smiled. They turned red and turned around. 

"Oh, great. He saw us!" Mary Anne said in a hushed whisper. 

Kristy nodded. "Now he's coming this way. Act natural." 

They resumed to what they were talking about when he came up to their table and said, "Excuse me, ladies, but may I sit down?" They both nodded. 

He sat down next to Mary Anne and said, "My name's Ian Stevens. I was sitting over there when I noticed you two ladies by yourself so I thought you might like some company." 

The girls introduced themselves. Ian, noticing Mary Anne looking at him, started to ask Kristy questions about herself. Kristy, noticing his flirting game, decided to direct the conversation over to Mary Anne. Ian followed the conversation for a little while. Before he left, he asked for Mary Anne's number.   
  
_*end flashback*_   
  


Kristy went on for a while, telling about how Ian talked with Mary Anne several times before going out with her on one date. He then decided to give up on her, because he thought she was too shy. 

Here's when the real shocker came in. He decided to call _Kristy_ up one day and invited _her_ to the movies. She debated on whether or not to go with him, since Mary Anne was a little shook up about Ian not wanting her anymore, but Mary Anne insisted that she give him a chance. 

"For someone who admitted to being a little shook up about something like that," Kristy commented at one point. "She sure was eager to have him date me." 

I pointed out that she probably just wanted her friend to be happy. 

Anyway, Kristy then said she only went out with him for a couple of weeks. That's when she found out about his problems. 

Then Ian decided to give _Mary Anne_ another chance (like she did anything wrong before, I thought. It was just her shyness and sensitivity, which I've always thought were her two best qualities.) 

Kristy tried to warn Mary Anne about how Ian had treated her like dirt when they dated, but Mary Anne just figured Kristy was jealous that Ian was interested in her now. 

So Kristy and Mary Anne stopped talking to each other for awhile. 

However, they began to talk to each other a little more after Mary Anne married Ian. Kristy said that, although she and Mary Anne are still pretty close, they haven't been talking to each other as much as they once did before Ian came into the picture. 

I then told Kristy and Bart about what I knew, and we all sat and tried to think of a way to help our friend. 

"Maybe we should write to Dear Abby," Bart suggested. "Maybe she could help us think of ideas." 

"Maybe, but it would probably take awhile for her to answer, if she even answers it at all," Kristy replied. "Maybe we should just take charge ourselves and get Mary Anne out of that house. That way the entire BSC could help her and give her the support she needs." 

"No, I don't think she would like that," I said. "I mean, she told me that she wants - and needs- to get out herself. She wants her friends' support, but she doesn't want them to do what she has to handle herself." 

We all thought about it and concluded that we had to talk to someone who could help Mary Anne realize how badly she needed to leave. 

That someone was Sharon Schafer Spier. 

We intended to talk to Sharon pretty soon. But before had a chance to do so, something happened that we'd never thought possible. 


	6. Suspicious Behavior?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this made up story, except for Ian Stevens. The rest are owned by Ann M Martin.

A/N:Sorry for not updating in a long time. I've been so busy with other things. If this chapter doesn't make any sense, it's because I've got so much going on right now. So, just bear with me on this chapter and possibly more upcoming chapters. :)

A few days after my meeting with the Taylors', I was out on my front lawn, looking over my flower garden. Ian was out, so Mary Anne decided to come over to talk to me for a few minutes. She started to tell me about her latest doctor's appointment.

"Everything's fine." she said.

"That's great. So, um, how has Ian been acting lately?" I asked carefully. Her smile faded a little.

"Well, uh, he's been keeping his promise, if that's what you mean. He's just been acting .... weird lately."

"What do you mean, weird?" I asked, pulling a few weeds.

"Well, I usually tell him about my appointments, but today.... he didn't even say anything about anything! He just nodded and changed the subject."

I looked up at her and saw that her lip started to quiver. Uh-oh.

"Is anything wrong, Mary Anne?" I asked.

She nodded, a single tear falling onto her cheek. I went over to her and put my arm around her shoulder for support.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"It's just that.... I think that Ian is loosing interest in me. He never says more than two words to me and he's been so distant lately. You're the only one who asks about how my day was or how the baby is. Ian just sits there and ignores me."

I squeezed her hand and said, " I think that Ian's just ... overwhelmed with all that's going on around him. Just give him some time. I'm sure he'll come around in time."

"I hope so. Anyway, I better be getting back."

I smiled. "OK. Take care."

I watched her walk away and smiled. I certainly hoped that Ian would come around. I knew how head strong Mary Anne was, and I knew that , if worse came to worse, she'd fight her way out of her troubles. I also knew that she loved her husband very much and still wanted the best for their child. But, sadly, I also knew the so called "power" Ian had over her. I knew that he wouldn't leave. (At least, I didn't _think_ he would? Who could hurt someone like Mary Anne that way?) 

Which is why I was surprise one day when I saw Ian come out of the car, with suitcases in his hand. Hmmm. I wonder if she had finally got up the courage to kick Ian out, or if he chose to leave himself, for the good of his wife and child. As he left, I saw the look on his face. It was the look of failure and disappointment. When he saw me, for a split second, he gave me a look that I can only describe with one word: Guilt.


	7. Gone?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this made up fictional story, except for Ian Stevens. The rest are owned by Ann M. Martin. 

A/N: Hey! I haven't updated in ages because of lack of chapter ideas and school and all. Now that summer's here, I'll have plenty of time to write. Yay! It also helps that today (6/11) is my 16th birthday! Anyway, here's chapter 7! 

Confused, I walked over to the Stevens' house. I wanted to know why Ian was leaving and if he was leaving for good. I hesitated for a split second. Am I being nosy? No, I told myself, I'm just being a concerned neighbour and friend. Feeling confident with that answer, I rang the doorbell. Mary Anne answered it, dressed in an old house dress.

"Logan! I-I didn't expect you to be here. I am so embarrassed that you caught me wearing this old thing. Let me go change really quick. Come on in and make yourself comfortable," she said, blushing. 

I thanked her and entered her lovely house. She rushed upstairs to change. I sat on the couch, but then got up and started to look at the pictures on the wall. There were many of the BSC members and of her family. I noticed that there weren't many of Ian's family there. There were plenty of pictures of them together, but there weren't any of just Ian or his family. That made me curious a little. 

"I'm back. Thanks for waiting for me. So, what do you want to talk to me about?," she asked, sitting down. 

"I was just admiring your pictures on the wall. They're great," I said. Mary Anne grinned. 

"Thank you. I try to keep a lot of pictures of my family and friends up for everyone to see. Is that what you wanted to talk about?" she asked. 

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Ian. I know it's not really any of my business as a neighbour, but it _is_ my business as a friend. I saw him leave today with suitcases. Could this mean that he's gone…. for good?" I asked, anxiously awaiting her answer. 

"I hate to disappoint you, but he's just going to be gone for a week. He has a business meeting in New Jersey. He'll be back next Monday, which is a shame because I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow." she replied. 

I nodded. I was disappointed that it wasn't for good, but I understood how Mary Anne was thinking. She wants a father and a mother for her child. She doesn't want him or her to be lonely or wonder about their father, like she wondered about her mother. 

"Well, at least he's out of the house for a little while. What are you going to do next?" I asked. 

"I don't know. I honestly don't know. I know I can't go on living like this, though. I need to make a decision, and I need to make it pretty soon," Mary Anne said, sighing. 

Sensing her frustration and confusion, I did something that might have been a little risky. I gently put my arm around her in a friendly way and asked a question that I probably shouldn't ask a married woman. Given the circumstances, though, I felt it was a safe one to ask. 

"Would you like to have lunch with me downtown? I bet it will make you feel better." 

"I- I think I'd like that. When shall we go?" she asked, smiling a little. 

"Are you up for it now? We can go to Renwicks," I said. 

"Great. I'm starving. Let me get my purse," Mary Anne said, grinning. 

She got her purse and we went on to the restaurant. While we were there, we talked about how she was and even talked about some of the things that place reminded us of. We had a nice time and when I dropped Mary Anne off, she thanked me for taking her mind off Ian. I said she was welcome and that if she needed anything, for her to call me. 

I was getting ready to leave, when she called after me. I turned around. 

"Um, do you think you could come with me to the doctor's office? I really don't like being there alone," she said. 

"Sure. Just pick me up, okay?" I said. She nodded. 

"Thanks, Logan. This means a lot to me." 

I nodded and thanked her. As I walked back to my house, I thought about how much fun we'd had at Renwicks. I hate to admit it, but I felt a little warm and fuzzy after thinking about that. She's so strong, I thought. If I were her husband, she wouldn't ever have to go through what she's going through right now. I stopped myself before I thought about her anymore. I mean, this is my married ex-girlfriend, who is also pregnant, for Pete's Sake! I shouldn't be having feelings like this for her. I knew that in my mind. But it was a little harder to convince my heart of that. She doesn't need him! But she does. Oh, what have I gotten myself into? 

A/N 2: I know this chapter sounds a little stupid, but, trust me, I have an idea on how this could work. Just be patient with me. I might need some help with ideas, though. If you have any, please send me some. I'd appreciate it. Thanks. Love, Daisy. 


	8. Secrets?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this fictional made-up story, except for Ian Stevens and a few other characters. If you don't recognize them, they're mine. The rest are owned by Ann M. Martin. I also do not own the George Strait song "Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa". It belongs to him and the songwriters.

A/N: well, this is the fastest I've ever updated! I'm proud of myself. This chapter will bring on many a challenge to me to come up with some awesome chapters to follow this one up, but I'm up to the challenge. Enjoy and please review.

I was confused. What should I wear to a friend's doctor's appointment? Should I wear my jeans and a nice shirt, or should I wear some slacks? I pondered this as I was preparing to go with Mary Anne to her appointment. I finally decided to just wear everyday clothes. I put on my newest pair of Wranglers and a cobalt blue button down shirt.

I drove over to Mary Anne's house. She saw me from the window and waved. I parked and she came outside. She got into the car and smiled at me. 

"Thanks, Logan. I'm really glad that you've decided to come with me. I'm glad that someone would want to come to my appointment with me." she said. 

"No problem. Now, let's get going. We don't want to be late.," I said. She nodded. 

We drove along in silence. Well, almost silence. The radio was on and George Strait's new song, "Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa" was playing. I turned the radio up slightly. 

"This is clearly one of George's best. Have you heard it yet?" I asked. She shook her head.

"I've only heard parts of it. I liked what I heard." she said. 

We listened in silence and then, when it was over, she grinned. 

"That is a good song. It makes me think of a magnificent place." she said. 

"Yeah. It's definitely a keeper," I said.

We soon arrived at the doctor's office, where we had to wait for a few minutes until they called her name. She grinned at me as she saw how uncomfortable I was sitting in a room full of pregnant women and women with small children.

"Mary Anne Stevens. The doctor will see you now," a blonde nurse whose name tag read 'Cindy'. said. 

Mary Anne grinned and pulled me into Dr. Smith's office. A tall, thin woman in her mid-fifties smiled at us. She reminded me of one of those grandmotherly type women who were always kind to everybody and who still remembered when Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn were the biggest thing to come out of Hollywood. 

"Hello, Mary Anne. I see you've brought a friend with you today. I'm Dr. Karen Smith, Mary Anne's obstetrician." she said, holding out her hand for me to shake.

"Hello. I'm Logan Bruno, Mary Anne's neighbour. It's a pleasure to meet you," I said, taking her hand and shaking it.

"I brought Logan here today because Ian is out of town on business and I didn't want to come alone," Mary Anne explained. Dr. Smith smiled. 

"Well, that's a good idea. Now, shall we listen to the baby's heart first, then maybe get a sonogram?" she asked. Mary Anne nodded. 

She went over to the ultrasound machine and started it up. She then poured some clear conducting gel on Mary Anne's abdomen and then moved a small transductor the size of a small jewerly box around over the gel. She turned on the monitor and a fuzzy, gray image came up onto the screen. 

"Look, Mary Anne. That's your baby. Now, let's see if we could hear the heartbeat," Dr. Smith said, pressing a button.

A loud, rapid thumping noise filled the room. Tears filled Mary Anne's eyes as she listened to the baby's strong heartbeat. 

"It's so beautiful," she said, wiping her eyes. I smiled and squeezed her hand. Dr. Smith grinned. 

"It's a nice, healthy baby, Mary Anne. The size is good, the heartbeat is strong, and you're nice and healthy. Have you and Ian enrolled in child birthing classes?" she asked. 

Mary Anne shook her head. "We want to, but Ian doesn't have much time to go to class with me," she said. Dr. Smith nodded. 

"Well, you might want to have a friend go with you, then. It's a good thing to know. You can sign up downstairs. It's best to start when you're around your fifth to sixth month, so you have a couple of more months to sign up. I strongly recommend taking the class. Now, do you have any more questions?"

Mary Anne shook her head. Dr. Smith printed out the latest sonogram for her, then thanked us for coming and then told her to come back in a few more weeks. We thanked her and left. After setting up an appointment, Mary Anne gasped. 

"I just remember something I wanted to ask Dr. Smith. I'll be right back," she said. 

When she was gone, the secretary smiled at me. 

"I think it's nice of you to come with Mrs. Stevens to her appointment.," she said. I nodded. 

"Well, since Ian is out of town, I thought I'd come with her today," I said. 

The nurse looked at me, a confused look on her face. 

"Mr. Stevens is out of town? Are you sure?" she asked. I nodded. 

"He left yesterday. He went to New Jersey. Why do you ask?," I asked. 

"I could have sworn I saw him at the Rosebud Café yesterday. He was with some pretty redhead. I thought it was his sister or something," she said. 

"Are you sure it was him?" I asked. She nodded. 

"Yeah. It was him. I know it. I guess he's not out of town.," she said, frowning. I frowned too. 

"I guess he's not." I said. She nodded in agreement. 

I wanted to ask her more about what she thought she saw, but Mary Anne came back and then we had to go. I pushed the horrible thought into the back of my mind. But I couldn't keep it there forever. I later decided that I would have to call an emergency meeting of the (former) Baby-Sitters Club. I picked up the phone and told Kristy my idea.


End file.
